Balearic Islands, Spain Meeting Planning Overview

Sitting in the Mediterranean Sea directly east of the mainland Spanish city of Valencia, the weather-blessed Balearic Islands—Menorca (Minorca), Mallorca (Majorca), and Ibiza—are bilingual Catalan and Spanish destinations whose history goes back to the Phoenicians, Romans, and before. Like the Canary Islands, collectively the Balearic Islands constitute a province of Spain. They are also known to be party-central for many northern Europeans looking for sun. Ibiza, especially, became famous for hosting late-night parties and claims to have the world's largest disco, able to host up to 12,000 persons. These party zones boast many Balearic event venues but tend to be in specific sections, so it is also easy to escape the boom-boom-boom of the drum and bass—providing you want to.

Mallorca and Ibiza each has a major airport: On Mallorca there is the Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), which is five miles east of the island's major town, Palma, and has service from all over Europe, while on Ibiza is Ibiza Airport (IBZ), which is five miles southwest of that island's major settlement, Ibiza Town, and likewise has similar Europe-wide coverage. The smaller island of Formentera also receives its share of leisure visitors.

One of the main meeting venues in the Balearic Islands is the Auditorium de Palma de Mallorca, on Mallorca, which has a seafront location, an 11,000-square-foot conference center with nine meeting rooms, including the Mozart Hall for 310 persons and the Magna Hall for 100.
Hotel venues in the Balearic Islands include, on Mallorca, the 90-room Hilton Sa Torre Mallorca Resort, which has 14 function rooms, including two ballrooms, and 74-room Hotel La Residencia by Orient-Express in the small, gorgeous town of Deia, which has five meeting spaces, as well as dramatic gardens and terraces. On Menorca is the 374-room Barcelo Pubelo Menorca, which is an all-inclusive resort having a spa and meeting space. On Ibiza, there are the stylish, 157-room Ibiza Gran Hotel, which displays much art and has more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space, and the quiet, luxurious, cliffside, 77-room Hacienda Na Xamena, which has space for groups of up to 150 persons.

Ibiza's town of Santa Eularia contains the Palacio de Congresos de Ibiza, which has a conference center with 20 meeting rooms measuring from 250 to 6,200 square feet, large enough for banquets for up to 350 persons and functions for up to 450. Also on that island is Casa Colonial, a Colonial house with grand gardens, an overall party image of design, fashion, music, and laid-back lifestyle, with space for up to 1,000 guests. On Mallorca are the Jose Luis Ferrer Winery, which is in the village of Binissalem, has had the same family in charge for three generations and has a tasting room and large Es Cos Patio for events, and Fundacion Yannick y Ben Jakober, a whitewashed, church-like, multi-purpose space with a museum, sculpture park, rose garden, bookshop, and event space for up to 150 persons in a tent on a lawn and a conference space for 50. On Menorca is La Mola de Menorca, or Isabel II Fort, a seaside, 18th-century fortification that has both exposition space inside and large grassy spaces outside.

Every island has plenty of restaurants to choose from. On Mallorca in the village of Valldemossa there is the Restaurante Port, with a seafood menu, two dining rooms, and a history dating to 1969, while with tapas and a Mallorcan menu in Felanitx is Restaurante Son Colom, which has the Sala de Celebraciones for private events. On Menorca is the wonderful S'Engolidor, in El Migjorn, which has five guest rooms, a traditional Menorcan dining room for up to 20 diners, and more space in a lovely garden, part of which is covered but still airy. On Ibiza, in Ibiza Town, are La Brasa Ibiza, which opened in 1977, is known for its paella and oysters, and is often festooned with flowers, and, in Santa Gertrudis, luxury hotel Agroturismo Cas Gasi, which is in an 1880 house and has beautiful detail, a pool, 12 wonderful, traditional rooms, the ability to be rented in its entirety, and organic, seasonal cuisine.